Fertilizer composition and method

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a composition and method for enhancing the growth of a plant using an inoculant composition comprising an effective quantity of an algal component in conjunction with a bacterial component.

1 . A growth enhancing composition for application to plants, comprising,
 an algal component having a partial ITS gene sequence possessing at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium.   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the isolated bacterium is capable of living symbiotically with the algal component. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the algal component is from the family Chlamydomonas. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the algal component is from the family Dunaliellaceae. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the algal component is from the family Hematococcaceae. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the algal component comprises an effective quantity of an isolated algal strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11477. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the bacterial component comprises bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NOS: 5 or 6. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the isolated bacterium is selected from the group consisting of a first isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11476, a second isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11475, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated mutant bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated mutant bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the bacterial component comprises bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NOS: 5 or 6. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Azospirillum.    
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Azoarcus.    
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Azorhizobium.    
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Bradyrhizobiu.    
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Rhizobium.    
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated bacterium from the genera  Sinorhizobium.    
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 11 , wherein the isolated bacterium is selected from the group consisting of a first isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11476, a second isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11475, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is selected from a solid and a liquid. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a solid. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a potting matrix. 
     
     
         23 . A growth enhancing composition for application to plants, comprising,
 an algal component comprising an isolated mutant of the algal strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11477, the strain having a partial ITS gene sequence possessing at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium.   
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated mutant bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 23  wherein the bacterial component comprises an isolated mutant bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         26 . A plant contacted with the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . The plant of  claim 26 , wherein the composition includes a carrier. 
     
     
         28 . A seed coated with the growth enhancing composition according to any one of  claim 1 ,  7 , or  23 . 
     
     
         29 . A kit for increasing plant growth, comprising:
 an algal component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated algal strain, the strain is deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11477; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium; and   instructions for use of said algal and bacterial components for promoting plant growth.   
     
     
         30 . The kit according to  claim 29 , wherein the isolated bacterium is capable of living symbiotically with the algal component. 
     
     
         31 . The kit according to  claim 29 , wherein the isolated bacterium is selected from the group consisting of a first isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11476, a second isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11475, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The kit according to  claim 29 , wherein the algal component and the bacterial component are separately packaged. 
     
     
         33 . A method for enhancing the growth of a plant, the method comprising the step of placing in the vicinity of the plant an effective quantity of an inoculant composition, the composition comprising:
 an algal component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated algal strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11477; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the isolated bacterium is capable of living symbiotically with the algal component. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the isolated bacteria is selected from the group consisting of a first isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11476, a second isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11475, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the effective quantity of the algal strain comprises greater than about 1×10 4  algal cells per ml or per g carrier or per seed and the effective quantity of the isolated bacteria comprises greater than about 1×10 5  bacterial cells per ml or per g carrier or per seed. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the bacterium comprises the first isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11476. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the bacterium comprises the second isolated  Microbacterium  strain deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-11475. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of green beans, turf grasses, sweet potato, tomatoes, cotton, corn, soy beans, okra, lettuce, tomato, squash, vegetables, tea, wheat, barley, rice, and canola. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the inoculant composition is applied before or during planting. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the composition is applied as a seed coating. 
     
     
         42 . A method for increasing plant growth, comprising: inoculating a plant with plant growth promoting mixture, the mixture comprising,
 an algal component having a partial ITS gene sequence possessing at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium, the bacterium having a partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence possessing at least 97% sequence identity to SEQ ID NOS: 5 or 6.   
     
     
         43 . A method for increasing plant growth, comprising: inoculating a plant with plant growth promoting mixture, the mixture comprising,
 an algal component having a partial ITS gene sequence possessing at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7; and   a bacterial component comprising an effective quantity of an isolated bacterium capable of living symbiotically with the algal component.